Class-Action Lawsuit Accuses Disney of Collecting Facial Data at California Parks

A class-action lawsuit filed Friday in California federal court accuses The Walt Disney Company of collecting facial recognition data from visitors at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure without proper disclosure. The complaint alleges that Disney began scanning faces at park entrances in April and compares those images to photos uploaded when guests purchase tickets or annual passes.

It claims the company does not adequately inform visitors, including children, that their biometric information is being collected.

The filing states that signs at four entrances allow guests to avoid the scans, but attorneys argue those signs do not constitute proper disclosure. Attorney Blake Yagman wrote that guests should be able to expressly opt in with written consent. The complaint also alleges Disney collects biometric data through its MagicBand and PhotoPass programs and uses the information to build consumer profiles.

Disney's privacy policy states that biometric data is deleted within 30 days unless needed for legal or fraud-prevention purposes. The lawsuit contends this claim is inconsistent with the company's practice of matching entry scans to ticket photos. The suit seeks at least $5 million for class members and proposes that Disney require written consent before implementing facial recognition technology.

" — Blake Yagman, attorney, complaint filing. Disney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.